Effectiveness of language used in the campaign “Thais Fat-less Belly” by Thai Health Promotion Foundation

Abstract

This study analyzed the verbal language used in the campaign advertisements through rhetorical devices and Speech Act theory. The data was collected from the television campaign advertisements for “Thais Fat-less Belly” including “Giant’s Kitchen” (ครัวยักษ์), “Arm Swing” (แกว่งแขน), “Eating Smart” (เลือกกิน), and “Waistline Measurement” (วัดพุง). All of them were presented on Thai free TV (Channels 3, 5 and 7) during the years 2012 to 2014. The study also aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the verbal language used in the campaign advertisements “Thais Fat-less Belly” among lecturers and supporting staff of Chiang Mai University. A quantitative research method was adopted for this study and the data was compiled by questionnaires to evaluate the campaign advertisements’ effectiveness. The respondents in this study were 100 employees of Chiang Mai University and were divided into two groups: 50 lecturers and 50 supporting staff. The results could be categorized into two parts: the verbal analysis and the quantitative analysis of the questionnaires. In the verbal analysis, six rhetorical devices were employed to draw the audiences’ attention and strengthen the messages of the campaign advertisements: alliteration, assonance, repetition, declarative sentences, interrogative sentences, and imperative sentences. Seven illocutionary acts: advising, ordering, requesting, questioning, warning, and concluding were found. Six perlocutionary acts were also found: suggestion, ordering, consequence, questioning, and warning. In the quantitative analysis of the questionnaires, it was found that the verbal language used in the campaign advertisements was effective. As for the respondents’ attitude towards the verbal language used in the campaign advertisements,the utterance “If you have a flat belly, you will have a healthy life.” (ไม่อ้วนลงพุง ชีวิตก็รอด ปลอดภัย) was able to increase the respondents’ health knowledge by an average score of 3.85. This utterance made them more concerned about metabolic syndrome, and as a result, they did more exercise by an average score of 3.72. The utterance “Eating smart helps reduce belly fat and diseases.” (เลือกกิน ลดพุง ลดโรค) had an average score of 4.2 indicating that it was concise and memorable. In terms of the respondents’ behavior after watching the campaign advertisements, 77 percent of the respondents were able to examine the metabolism syndrome on their own, and 71 percent tended to eat more vegetables and fruit.